Chapter 36
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“What in the world is happening?”
The people watching the duel murmured amongst themselves.
One moment, it seemed as if Clan Lord Namgung On had swung his sword to shatter the bluestone.
The next moment, his opponent, Namgung Yeol, was swinging his fists at the empty air.
“Get out of the way, get out of the way! Damn it, where on earth am I?”
All while muttering incomprehensible things.
Even after a good while, he showed no sign of coming to his senses.
After enough time had passed to drink a cup of tea, Elder Namgung Muyeong sighed and climbed onto the dueling platform.
“Victory for the Clan Lord!”
Whaaaaaa!
A tsunami-like roar echoed throughout the entire estate.
Dum, dum, dum!
Even the master holding the drum, caught up in the excitement, began to beat it powerfully.
In the sky, flags bearing the name of Namgung fluttered.
“I won…”
Namgung On stared blankly at the scene, his sword hanging loosely at his side.
It felt strange.
‘Did I really beat Yeol?’
Yeol, whom he had never once beaten in a duel their entire lives.
With his own two hands.
It was hard to believe. The hand gripping the sword felt alien, as if it belonged to someone else.
“Clan Lord! You really are the best!”
As Hong-seol’s bright face came into view, reality finally set in.
‘I won!’
The child was waving from atop Namgung Uigyeol’s shoulders. Only then did a smile spread across Namgung On’s tense face.
It was all thanks to that child, Hong-seol.
A few days ago, Hong-seol had come to him and asked out of the blue.
“Clan Lord, did you happen to learn it? I heard that among the Namgung Clan’s unique martial arts, there’s one passed down only to the Clan Lord…”
“Are you talking about the Imperial Sword Form?”
“Yes! The Master of the Azure Sky Unit said it was an incredible Heavy Sword technique. Is that true?”
“That’s right. If you execute the forms properly, you can even split boulders.”
“Then you have everything you need.”
“What?”
“The objects needed for the formation.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Come on, the bluestone paving the dueling platform is stone, too!”
She was right.
‘Why didn’t I think of that?’
To use the Emperor’s Sword Form to shatter the bluestone on the ground, then strike the fragments with the blade of the sword to create a formation.
The vicious illusionary formation in which Namgung Yeol was still wandering.
“But I won’t be able to block Yeol’s attack before that. I always yield the first move to him.”
“Um, do you have to yield?”
“I’m his older brother.”
He remembered the little girl wrinkling her nose at that.
It was as if she were saying, ‘Brother Heuk never yields to Jeok,’ and a laugh had escaped him.
“I plan to duck my head to avoid the first attack. Yeol always starts with a horizontal slash.”
“You can’t!”
“What did you say?”
“This time, Young Master Namgung Yeol will surely fight bare-handed.”
“How do you know that?”
At that, the child flinched as if she had been found out.
“…I saw him training.”
“How?”
“I… watched him secretly. He was practicing his fist techniques the entire time.”
“I mean, how did you not get caught… ah.”
Only then did Namgung On realize the child had transformed into a cat to spy on Namgung Yeol’s training.
And that Hong-seol was anxiously wondering whether he knew she was a cat Beastkin or not.
‘To go so far as to risk revealing her identity, all for me…’
Namgung On’s large hand covered Hong-seol’s head.
“Hong-seol, I am grateful for your intentions, but it is not right to spy on another’s training. Do you understand?”
“Yes, yes…”
At his words, Hong-seol’s shoulders slumped. Seeing this, Namgung On gently patted her head.
“However, I understand your intentions. I will make sure to study the forms of the fist techniques passed down in our family more carefully than usual.”
With his brilliant mind, Namgung On intended to memorize every form from the fist technique manuals in the archives.
That would be enough to somehow avoid his younger brother’s first move.
Only after hearing that did Hong-seol’s face brighten as she nodded.
Just as she was doing now, in this moment of his victory.
‘Thank you, Seol-ah. This is all thanks to you.’
Namgung On’s and Hong-seol’s eyes met across the distance.
A dazzlingly bright smile soon spread across both their faces.
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“Hong-seol, did you perhaps work some kind of magic?”
Grand Patriarch Namgung Ho, standing before the gate of Azure Sky Pavilion, asked with a serious face.
Hong-seol, who had come out for some fresh air before breakfast, tilted her head at Namgung Ho’s words, then suddenly lifted her head.
“Brother?”
Spotting a welcome face, Hong-seol’s eyes widened with excitement.
Before her stood Namgung Baek, a stack of books tucked under his arm.
He had clearly come to Azure Sky Pavilion, but he seemed awkward about stepping inside.
“Welcome, Brother! Let’s have breakfast together.”
“Hah, you never came when I told you to visit, and now you show up at Azure Sky Pavilion on your own two feet. With books tucked under your arm, no less.”
His tone was gruff, but Namgung Ho’s words were somehow tinged with pleasure.
It was a good thing that Namgung Baek, who had always been so cold, was taking an interest in Hong-seol.
But he was also cautious, worried his sensitive grandson might turn away at any moment.
So, Namgung Ho deliberately suppressed his delight as he asked.
“Baek, what brings you here so early in the morning?”
His eldest grandson seemed to have become a completely different person in just a few days.
Namgung Ho was startled to see a faint smile on his grandson’s tidy face.
‘Did Baek even know how to smile like that?’
He was surprised by the smile for only a moment before being astounded by Namgung Baek’s eloquence.
“I have simply developed a slight interest in Martial Arts. And if one is to learn Martial Arts, it is only natural to learn from the Grand Patriarch.”
“I never said I would teach you, so go to the Master of the Azure Sky Unit. I’m busy enough teaching our Hong-seol.”
“I can learn a great deal just by observing your conduct, Grand Patriarch.”
“Heh heh, the Namgung Clan has never produced such a silver tongue in all its generations. I wonder who taught him to speak like that.”
Rendered speechless by his young grandson, Namgung Ho shook his head and spoke.
“If you are so determined, then come in.”
His tone was grumbling, yet he sounded strangely pleased.
Only Hong-seol could hear what Namgung Ho muttered to himself afterward.
“Goodness, I don’t know who he takes after to be so stubborn.”
‘W-who he takes after…?’
When their tempers are a mirror image of each other.
Hong-seol couldn’t bring herself to say the thought out loud and just tilted her head.
“Grand Patriarch, I’ve brought breakfast.”
Just then, Maeran and the other maids entered to serve the food. Maeran showed a flustered expression when she spotted Namgung Baek.
“Ah, my apologies. I didn’t realize the first young master was here… Shall I bring another set of chopsticks?”
Just then.
She felt a familiar presence.
“Hong-seol! Grandpa!”
“Oh, our eldest brother is here too?”
It was Heuk and Jeok, always together like needle and thread.
Delighted by all the familiar faces, Hong-seol clutched the hem of Namgung Ho’s robes and smiled bashfully.
“And what are you two doing here?”
“We came to eat with the little one.”
“And to say good morning to Grandpa!”
It seemed that spending a quiet morning alone with Hong-seol was now forever out of the question.
“With each passing day, Azure Sky Pavilion overflows with more and more uninvited guests.”
Contrary to the long sigh that escaped his lips, Namgung Ho’s face was full of a pleasant smile.
“Grandpa?”
“Heh heh… A-ahem.”
As Hong-seol gave him a curious look, Namgung Ho cleared his throat and quickly entered the inner chamber where the meal was laid out.
Without giving any instructions.
So in the end, Hong-seol had no choice but to whisper a request to Maeran.
“Um, Maeran, could you bring three more sets of chopsticks?”
“No one else is coming, right? Is the Clan Lord perhaps coming?”
She said this because the Clan Lord, Namgung On, had also been stopping by Azure Sky Pavilion whenever he had a spare moment lately.
“Nn-mm, the Clan Lord said he’s busy today.”
Hong-seol sat quietly at the table where the food was laid out.
Baek was quietly sipping his pre-meal tea, while Heuk and Jeok were busy playing around with each other.
Namgung Ho, too, though he grumbled, had a smile playing on his lips, seeming satisfied with the bustling morning.
‘Is this what a family is like?’
Just when it seemed the atmosphere had settled.
As soon as the table was set, an overtime round began between Namgung Ho and Namgung Baek.
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